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FABRIC FR` FURNITURBJAND WALL GVERINGS.

-l\To. 2.188.294. Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

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JAMES M. BALDVIN, OF NEW' YORK, N.k Y.

FABRIC FOR FURNITURE AND WALL COVERlNGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,294, dated November 1e, 1883.

- Application tied september s. issn. (No modem To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, .latins M. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain' new and useful Improvement in Fabrics for Furniture -Coverings, fall-Hangings, and for other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a fabric having an embossed leather-face surface, to be used as coverings for furniture, hangings or coverings for walls, and for other purposes, as a substitute for the ordinarilyemployed solid leather; and my improvement consists in the combination, with a thin sheet of split leather,of a sheet of elastic or flexible material, whereby a body lis made to support and protect the leather; also, in combining therewith a strengthening-sheet of some textile material, all kas will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Heretofore, in the employment of leather as a covering for walls or for iiph olstery purposes, it has been necessary to use such leathers as have a considerable thickness, in order to obtain the requisite strength and durability in the material; hence leathers fitted for this class of ornamentation, especially as wall-hangi'ngs, are very expensive, and, besides this, the application of real or solid leather to walls involves considerable labor, 4it being necessary to apply it in sections or panels to produce a goed result.

The purpose of my invention is to produce y a fabric having the appearance and finish of a solid leather, richly embossed, which can be furnished in rolls and applied to the wall in a manner similar to vordinary wallpapers, and at a small cost. y.

In the accompanyingV drawings, serving to illustrate my invention, Figure l is a'plan or face view of myimproved fabric, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same; and Fig. Bris a similar view, but without the under sheet or backing..v y

In 4makingnip my fabric I am enabled to use both the inner or outer grain or splits of the leather for the face or outer layer.

Let a in the drawings represent a thin sheet of leatherone of the inner splitsobtained by splitting or cutting ordinary leather into layers by any one of the well-known methods. To the under side of this leather is sestance, a sheet, b, of felt paper, having asufficient body or thickness to furnish an elastic bed or support for the leather.

Vhere the outer grain or split of the leather is used, which has a natural body or face, the application of the felt paper or other elastic material to the leather will be sufficient; but Where an inner grain is used, it is necessary to cement to the felt sheet b a sheet, 0, of'cott0n cloth or other textile material, in order to give the combined fabric the requisite firmness to prevent any tendency of the leather to warp.

The .fabric thus made is finally subjected, by suitable machinery, to produce in relief the figures d on the leather surface, which are brought out boldly and prominently by reason of the thickness and elasticity of the body of the fabric.

Instead of the felt paper, any other coarse flexible paper or material may be used to form the body ofthe fabric.

lVhen leather is applied directly to walls, it is materially affected by any dampness, so that in moist weather it will sag or fall in ridges and become unsightly. By interposing an absorbent body between the Wall and the leather, (as would be the case where my fabric is employed) the leather may be pre served in a dry and smooth condition during damp weather.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As anew article of manufacture, a fabric cured, by cement or other adhesive subcomposed of a sheet of leather and a sheet of i Set forth.

3. The fabric herein described, consisting of a sheet of thin leather, a sheet of textile material, and a sheet of felt paper, united together and embossed, as and for the purposes A. R. BENTON. 

